Meteorology

"Why study meteorology at the University of South Alabama?"

The University of South Alabama is a state university consisting of ten schools and
colleges. Established in 1963, USA has steadily grown to an enrollment of approximately
15,000 students and nearly 800 faculty. The meteorology program began in 1991 as a
"Concentration in Geography" and graduated its first student in 1995. In 1999, the
Alabama Commission on Higher Education officially granted a "Bachelor of Science in
Meteorology." Meteorology is taught in the College of Arts and Sciences and is part
of the Department of Earth Sciences, which also includes the disciplines of geography
and geology.

Why study meteorology at the University of South Alabama?

A Sound Curriculum

The University of South Alabama offers a curriculum designed to provide each student
with a thorough understanding of the laws of atmospheric behavior. Each student is
exposed to the latest techniques in weather forecasting and atmospheric remote sensing.
As a preparation for a career in forecasting, the procedures and importance of disseminating
weather information to the public and industry are stressed. Because of close ties
with the National Weather Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Keesler Air Force
Base, and major area industries, students have the opportunity to visit and observe
meteorologists in the field and discuss the importance of weather with those who depend
on accurate and timely weather information.

Students completing the meteorology curriculum will have a Bachelor of Science Degree
in Meteorology. In order to prepare students for the many diverse areas of meteorological
employment and future study, several tracks of study are offered that enable students
to specialize in such areas as professional forecasting, broadcast, and graduate school
preparation. (See our page on the MET Curriculum.)

Small Classes and Individual Attention

Although the University of South Alabama has grown tremendously since its inception
in 1963, classes remain small and, contrary to many other universities, are taught
only by the faculty. The small class size makes it possible for the faculty to provide
individual attention. Students are closely advised and counseled as they progress
through their meteorology curriculum with an emphasis on post graduate employment.
This close supervision enables the faculty to direct each student toward an appropriate
position in what has become a field with a promising job market. With the focus on
global warming, our fragile environment, and the escalating costs of adverse and severe
weather, meteorologists will play an important role in the scientific community over
the next few decades.

For example, meteorologists are now found in many areas including the National Weather
Service, the military, private and governmental research centers, teaching, county
and state environmental agencies, private weather services, and the media.

Unique On-Campus Weather Forecasting Center

Established in January 1988, the Coastal Weather Research Center was designed to promote
and support meteorological education and research through:

Meteorology workshops and seminars

A climatological and hurricane data archive

Research on the interaction of coastal and oceanic environments

The operation of a weather laboratory and information center

Through the interest and support of local and regional industry and the University
community, the Weather Center has been able to effectively pursue its objectives.

A strong and active part of the Weather Center's operation is a state-of-the-art information
center and weather laboratory. A variety of weather information, such as forecasts,
severe weather alerts, and climate data is provided to businesses, industries, and
municipal governments in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. The Computerized Weather
Information Service transmits Weather Center and National Weather Service information
to businesses 24 hours daily.

The Coastal Weather Research Center is located in the Mitchell Center on the main campus of the University of South Alabama. The Weather Center is a fully-operational
weather forecast center, a unique facility for any college in the nation. It plays
a key role in the meteorology program by providing a nucleus for students and faculty
to gather and discuss weather and engage in research projects.

The presence of the Coastal Weather Research Center on the campus provides the meteorology
student with the opportunity to experience weather forecasting and industrial meteorology
first hand. An array of equipment and workstations allows each student meteorologist
to have access to the same radar, satellite, and alphanumeric data that are used by
the forecasting staff. In addition, students will have the chance to work at the Weather
Center where they can combine classroom theory with actual weather forecasting applications.

Gulf Coast Weather: Experiencing a Natural Laboratory

The Mobile area and the Alabama Gulf Coast is a virtual weather laboratory where students
can experience many of the weather phenomena studied in the classroom. What could
be better than to study meteorology in Mobile, one of the wettest major cities in
the United States with one of the highest thunderstorm frequencies in the nation!
Then in the summer and fall, all eyes focus on the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico
and the Caribbean as hurricane season unfolds. Although direct hurricane landfalls
on the Mobile area are rare, the region often receives fringe effects of Gulf hurricanes
as far away as Texas. Because of this threat, hurricanes are taken seriously by the
local residents and the business community and thus are given special attention in
the meteorology curriculum, as are all forms of severe weather.